How do we hold our alderpeople accountable in between elections? We’re kicking off a month-long workshop series with Chicago United for Equity.

By Andrea Faye Hart

(Illustrations: Ellie Mejía)

(Illustrations: Ellie Mejía)

And we back, and we back and we back (as Chicagoans say). After a month-ish break, the Public Newsroom will return with a workshop series that takes a closer look at our newly elected City Council. August marks the first 100 days of our alderpeople’s four-year terms. To celebrate we’ll be hosting four workshops in wards around the city to tackle two questions: What has your alderperson been up to since taking office? How can we hold City Council accountable in between elections? 

We’ve co-designed activities with Chicago United for Equity, powered by the City Bureau’s Documenters program, to walk attendees through these questions. We’ll unpack what committees your alderperson is on and discuss spending, service delivery and development in your ward. For the fifth and final workshop on Thursday, August 29, we’ll be hosting citywide accountability and transparency activities with help from our Documenters team. 

Check out our full schedule of workshops. All events will start at 6 p.m.

  1. Public Newsroom 112: Aldermanic Accountability in the 20th Ward

    1. When: August 1

    2. Where: Build Coffee (6100 S. Blackstone Ave.)

  2. Public Newsroom 113: Aldermanic Accountability in the 22nd Ward

    1. When: August 8

    2. Where: 4076 W. 26th Street (storefront at the corner of 26th Street and Kedvale)

  3. Public Newsroom 114: Aldermanic Accountability in Austin—28th, 29th and 37th Wards

    1. When: August 15

    2. Where: Austin Career and College Academy (231 N. Pine Ave.)

  4. Public Newsroom 115: Aldermanic Accountability in the 25th Ward

    1. When: August 22

    2. Where: Location TBD

  5. Public Newsroom 116: Aldermanic Accountability Citywide

    1. When: August 29

    2. Where: Harold Washington Library 8th Floor (400 S. State)

Please note: Our August 8 event will be in Spanish only and our August 22 workshop will be in Spanish and English. 

Don’t live in the wards listed but still want to participate? You’re welcome to attend any of our workshops, but eventually we’ll have an activity packet ready for download so you can host your own workshop or fill it out at home. We’ll also be publishing activity guides in Austin Weekly News. Interested in publishing the activity guides in your own newsletter or website? Email andrea@citybureau.org. 

We’ll see you in two weeks! In the meantime, find meeting dates, times, locations and official records from Chicago’s City Council and its 19 committees, updated daily at Documenters.org.

Support City Bureau’s local government accountability work by donating or becoming a City Bureau Press Club member today.

To get twice-monthly emails including Chicago news and events, sign up for City Bureau’s Chicago newsletter.